Particle simulation studies for fast ignitor research collisional effects on laser-plasma interactions

Relativistic binary collision effects on intense laser-plasma interactions were investigated by the Monte Carlo Coulomb model into a particle simulati on code. Our collision model is fully relativistic and collision frequencie s are calculated in the framework of quantum electrodynamics (QED). As benc hmark tests, we simulated the following two cases. The first one is for the electron heat transport in a steep temperature gradient and the second is for the electron energy distribution function of plasmas heated by the inve rse bremsstrahulung. The results of the simulations agree well with previou s works. The surface plasma heating and fast ion generation have also been investigated for a solid target interaction with an intense laser beam. The collisional effects are very important even in the intensity range of 10(1 8)-10(19) W/cm(2). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.